This invention relates to a power train of mowing machine, and more particularly it is concerned with a power train arrangement in an operating rod for transmitting driving power from a prime mower, such as an internal combustion engine, connected to a rear end of the operating rod to a cutter blade device attached to a forward end of the operating rod.
Generally, a power train of a mowing machine in which the prime mover has a relatively high output power comprises a transmission shaft formed of a rigid material, such as steel, and having a relatively large length which extends through the operating rod and is connected at one end thereof to an output shaft of the prime mover and at an opposite end to a rotary shaft of the cutter blade device. In the mowing machine, the prime mover is secured through a rubber member or other vibration damping member to the rear end of the operating rod to minimize vibration which is transmitted from the prime mover to the operating rod during operation, to thereby provide protection to the operator who performs the operation by gripping the operating rod. In this type of mowing machine, torsional and transverse vibrations of a relatively high magnitude have tended to occur during operation due to the vibration of the prime mover and misalignment of the transmission shaft with the output shaft because of the large length of the transmission shaft. The torsional and transverse vibrations have raised the problem that they are transmitted to the operator through the operating rod, thereby interfering with the operation and reducing operation efficiency.